As the longest government shutdown in US history continues into its second month, food pantries across the Quad Cities are preparing for a surge in need.
On Saturday, Nov. 1, federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is set to expire, leaving thousands of local families uncertain about how they’ll afford groceries.
At the Sacred Heart Food Pantry in Rock Island’s Township Hall, volunteer Patrick Logan says the number of people seeking assistance has already risen sharply, serving an additional 150 families this month. He expects that number to only rise without SNAP.
But while demand is rising, Logan says the pantry is struggling to keep staple items in stock.
“We used to be, we just [had] a lot of food. You’d walk in there and the shelves would be overflowing with food,” Logan said. “We never had a problem running out of food.”
In Iowa, more than 262,000 residents rely on SNAP benefits. In Illinois, that number is close to 2 million.
Logan says those Americans cannot be fed through food pantries alone.
“I really think that gap is too large,” he said. “We’ll do what we can, but when you’re talking about one in eight people in the country getting food stamps, I don’t know how we’ll be able to fill that gap.”
Meanwhile, more than two dozen Democratic attorneys general and governors are suing the Trump administration over its decision to suspend food benefits during the shutdown. The lawsuit asks a federal judge to maintain benefits for low-income Americans through contingency funds.
Food pantries in the Quad Cities can be located online at the River Bend Food Bank’s website.